In Match 34 of IPL 2025, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) suffered a five-wicket defeat to Punjab Kings (PBKS) in a rain-reduced 14-over game at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Tasked with defending a modest total of 95/9, RCB struggled to make an impact as PBKS comfortably chased down the target with more than an over to spare.

RCB’s disappointing performance could be traced to three key shortcomings: a misjudgment of the pitch conditions, a collapse in the middle order, and questionable decisions from the captain. These combined factors not only cost them the match but also raised concerns about their overall approach and adaptability in crunch situations.

1. Inability to Assess Pitch Conditions

The rain-affected surface offered uneven bounce and behaved unpredictably, yet RCB’s batters adopted an overly aggressive approach that backfired. Captain Rajat Patidar admitted post-match that the team “went too hard at the start” and failed to adapt to the conditions, resulting in a dramatic collapse at 42/7. Apart from Tim David’s valiant unbeaten 50 off 26 balls and Patidar’s 23 off 18, the rest of the batting lineup failed to contribute meaningfully, with eight players dismissed for single-digit scores. Against a relatively modest PBKS bowling attack, RCB’s inability to assess the pitch and adjust their game proved costly. Meanwhile, PBKS, led tactically by Shreyas Iyer, executed a clever bowling plan—employing hard and short lengths to exploit the pitch’s variable bounce, especially with some dew aiding them in the second innings. RCB’s misreading of the surface left them with a sub-par total and little chance of defending it.

Also Read: IPL 2025: PBKS vs RCB Match 37 - A Head to Head breakdown

2. Poor Performance of the Middle Order

RCB’s middle-order collapse only deepened their troubles. With early wickets of Phil Salt (4) and Virat Kohli (7), the responsibility fell on the remaining batters to stabilize the innings. However, Liam Livingstone (4), Jitesh Sharma (1), Krunal Pandya (1), and Manoj Bhandage (0) failed to rise to the occasion, showing little intent to build partnerships even as the situation demanded composure. The lack of adaptability was evident as they fell to poorly judged pull shots on a pitch offering extra bounce. Patidar later admitted that the team couldn’t form any meaningful partnerships in the middle overs. This collapse left RCB heavily dependent on Tim David’s explosive 50*, and despite Josh Hazlewood’s impressive 3/14, the team couldn’t recover. The middle order’s failure to read the conditions and steady the innings ultimately cost RCB a chance at posting a competitive total. This is not the first time that the middle order has looked brittle. 

Also Read: IPL 2025, Match 34: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Punjab Kings Full Match Highlights

3. Lackluster Captaincy

Patidar’s captaincy lacked the sharpness and foresight shown by Shreyas Iyer. While PBKS smartly opened with pacers Marco Jansen and Arshdeep Singh, holding back Harpreet Brar to exploit the seam-friendly conditions, RCB missed a crucial trick by not deploying their own pace duo—Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar—early on. Instead, Patidar introduced young spinner Suyash Sharma, who was immediately targeted by Nehal Wadhera (33* off 19), giving PBKS early momentum. Unlike Iyer’s proactive bowling rotations, Patidar appeared reactive, especially after the initial spells from Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar, allowing Punjab to comfortably chase 96 in just 12.5 overs. Post-match, Patidar admitted that their bowling strategy didn’t match the pitch conditions, particularly their underuse of pace on a surface offering movement.